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Let’s pretend for a minute that I am not the last one in the entire world to see this movie…

…but what better place to watch it than Tokyo?

Without a doubt, this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I kept checking the time left on my iTunes and was genuinely sad when I saw there were just 5 minutes left. Not because it felt incomplete, but because I was just truly sad the movie was over.

I won’t even begin to actually review this movie or really even tell you too much because there is no way I can do it justice, not to mention I really loathe reviewing things. Actually having to include all the correct details on a film you simply loved emotionally, makes me shudder. It’s like a sushi symphony. Every single scene, every single word meant something. Every shot is beautiful and every message is meaningful. Jiro is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro — a 3 Michelin star restaurant in an unassuming subway station. It seats just 10, with people waiting months for a seat. There is no ordering, you simply get what you get and you love it. And you will love it.

The sushi is the best in the world. There’s no doubt about that. But the real story revolves around Jiro’s son, Yoshikazu, the eldest of two, who will have to carry on his father’s legacy. As Jiro’s ex-apprentice puts it, “Yoshikazu will have to be twice as good to even be considered equal. That’s how influential his father is.”

I will never look at sushi the same way again. John’s friend Rob, a bilingual banker here in Tokyo who grew up in the US, took us to a sushi restaurant here in Tokyo called Taku, on one of the first nights we arrived. God DAMN, I wish I had watched this movie before that experience. I now hang my head shame at my lack of appreciation of the small details that all add up to make something GREAT. I enjoyed it, I gobbled it up as I usually do, but man: this movie has taught me to really savor.

It makes you want to work harder and appreciate the small bites in life. If you haven’t seen it, you must. I would pay good money for one of those Men in Black mind eraser tools just so I could forget I watched it and experience it all over again.

20 Responses to “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”

watched it about a month ago. this is why i absolutely stand by a well-done documentary. it leaves you with something. and if you’re lucky, whatever that something is will linger for longer than is natural, and will change your basic DNA and perspective on things outside for a beautiful, brief while. may i suggest watching “kokoyakyu”? it’s free on hulu. it’s a doc about high school baseball in japan and the utter, other-worldly devotion. mindblowing and awesome, for the exact reason “jiro” is so riveting. long-time listener, second-time commenter. -joe. @seymoursfatlady

Have you seen Ramen Girl with Brittany Murphy? It’s such a sweet romcom (as much as I hate them) that revolves around Ramen. You have to see it. Even my dad liked it, and we’re japanese. He’s a ramen snob so that’s saying something.
xxkayti.clayton@yahoo.com
kaytiii.blogspot.com

You should see Entres les Bras (Step up to the plate in English). I think you will like it a lot. It’s kinda similar to Jiro I dream of sushi, but about 3 Michelin star chef Michel Bras passing down his restaurant to his son. Very touching movie

Woke up early for no reason this morning and decided to read your blog. You always put me in a good mood no matter what is going on in my life so I wanna thank you for that. This blog excites me because I’m going for sushi with friends tomorrow evening and I’ve been going through serious sushi withdrawl. My fiancee doesn’t like it so I don’t get to eat it as often as I would like so you can imagine how giddy I am inside. I know it will be nothing like this movie but a girl can dream. Thanks again for lifting my spirits 🙂

You aren’t the last person to see Jiro Dreams of Sushi, because I finally watched it just a month or so ago. I love sushi and I loved (!!!) Japan, so it’s ridiculous that I hadn’t heard of Jiro sooner. Fabulous movie.